August 1, 2016

Community and Police Working to Build Mutually Respectful Relationships

Hundreds of people attended recent town hall meetings to encourage a public conversation to build a County free of violence and hostility. The meetings, held at the Silver Spring Civic Building and the Black Rock Center for the Arts in Germantown, were facilitated by James Stowe, Office of Human Rights director.

The panel, made up of Mansfield Kaseman of the County's Faith Community Working Group, Police Chief Tom Manger and Linda Plummer, president of Montgomery County NAACP, opened the meetings with a pledge to listen and an invitation to all to share concerns. Residents shared personal perspectives of race relations and law enforcement. Stories and experiences differed from person to person but a common theme was the importance of mutual respect and communication. View photographs from the meetings here.